Leftover Remix: Glazed Donut Bread Pudding

Hello there fellow frugalistas!!  I am back after a long hiatus from blogging.  My life has changed drastically since my last blog post including a move back to my home town to join the family farm, several job changes (I can happily say I now LOVE LOVE LOVE my current job), and the addition of a second beautiful baby girl.

Even with all these changes, one thing has remained constant and unwavering.  I still believe in frugal living especially with more mouths to feed, a dream of building a new house, and the reality of needing a...VAN (gasp, choke, cough). With my return to blogging, I will be sharing new recipes, frugal living concepts, and other money-saving tips. 

My first frugal tip is to try to find ways to reuse leftovers.  The recipe that I am sharing today uses old, stale glazed donuts and converts them to a decadent, rich bread pudding. 

That's right.  Do not throw away those stale donuts!!!  Even if there is one lonely donut left in that bag or box, break it into small chunks and throw it in the freezer.

Once you have a large enough portion, try out this delicious recipe remix.  I followed a basic bread pudding recipe, but I cut down on the sugar since the donuts are so sweet themselves.  I also tweaked (not to be confused with twerked) this particular recipe by swapping Cinnamon Chips that I got on markdown after Christmas for regular cinnamon.  I have also been known to save those leftover breadsticks from Papa Johns and used this same recipe....YUM!

Glazed Donut Bread Pudding

Ingredients

6 cups leftover glazed donuts (or breadsticks, cinnamon rolls, or whatever else your heart desires)

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup cinnamon chips or 1 tsp. cinnamon

4 eggs, beaten

2 cups milk 

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

SCORE...I love a good markdown!!!

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Take the donuts that have been cut into chunks and spread out in an 8 inch baking pan.  Drizzle the melted butter over the donuts.  Sprinkle the cinnamon chips over the donuts.  Be sure to eat a good portion of the bag of chips while making this recipe.  This is a very important step. 

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs.  Add the milk, sugar, and vanilla (this would be the step where you add the regular cinnamon if you do not have the cinnamon chips) and mix together.  Pour this wet mixture over the donuts and allow them to soak up the goodness.  I massaged the wet mixture into the donuts to be sure it was well absorbed.

Bake for approximately 50 minutes or until golden brown.  Let cool slightly before serving if you can manage that kind of willpower. 

 

Enjoy!

I Hosted a House Party!

This past weekend, I was lucky enough to be one of the chosen hosts for a Breakstone's Sour Cream Flavor Lovers House Party!  What does this mean exactly?  It means that I received a Party Package full of goodies to help me host a party for all my friends and family to try the new Breakstone's Sour Cream Products.

The two new type of products that I got to try include Breakstone's Zesty Blends (flavored sour creams) and Sour Cream based dips.  I purchased Breakstone's Zesty Blends Roasted Garlic and Herb Sour Cream, Zesty Blends Chipotle Sour Cream, French Onion Dip and Ranch Dip. 

I set out the Ranch dip with lots of veggies and the French Onion Dip with Potato Chips.  They were both delicious and would definitely purchase them again.  I took the opportunity to make a couple yummy recipes with the Zesty Blends.

Hot Artichoke Dip

1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 can Grated Parm Cheese

1 can Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1 cup Breakstone's Zesty Blends Roasted Garlic and Herb Sour Cream

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all ingredients.  Pour into 9-inch pie plate. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.

 

The dip was yummy but very garlicky!!

Aunt Peggy's Taco Dip

 

2 lbs ground beef

1 can refried beans

2 bottles Taco Sauce

1 16 oz container Breakstone's Zesty Blends Chipotle Sour Cream

2 cups cheddar cheese

Brown meat, drain.  Mix in beans and taco sauce.  Put in 9x13 pan.  Pour on sour cream and cheese.  Bake at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes.

This dip recipe never fails to please and the chipotle sour cream enhances the yumminess!

A special thanks to Breakstone's for letting me try all their new products!



Growing Like a Weed

Farming is a Lifestyle

There has been a lot going on during my absence from the blogospere.  JJ is almost 19 weeks old!  During JJ's first week of life, my family started talking about the possibility of my husband joining the family grain operation.  This is a big deal!  How fantastic would it be to be around family?  JJ could grow up with her grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. 

However, there were a lot of options to weigh.  Farming is not an easy occupation.  Even though grain prices are high right now, input costs are also expensive.  There is always the weather that cannot be controlled.  I know how it is to grow up with a farmer and their moods.  Too much rain, too little rain, etc. 

After many sleepless nights, my HHBL (hunk a hunk a burning love) and I decided that this would be the best move for our family.  We were lucky enough to have a house waiting for us at home.  My Grandmother passed away in May and her house has been sitting vacant.  We are also lucky enough to have great parents who helped us fix up the house in the past three months.  The carpets and wallpaper were removed, the bathroom gutted, etc etc etc.  Between working long weeks at the potato chip factory and working on the house on the weekend, we have been exhausted.  Did I mention that this house is only a couple miles away from my parents and only about 1/4 mile from two of my three sisters?

Last weekend, we finally made the big move!  I can't believe how different our life already is after less than a week.  At our old house, the closest family was 1.5 hours away.  It was just the two (eventually three) of us living in our own little world.  JJ has seen her grandparents and at least one aunt, uncle, or cousin every single day since we have moved. 

Our future in farming may not be easy but it is the lifestyle that we have chosen.  Thank goodness that farming is a family business!

I have to send out a special thanks to my uncle who made this opportunity available to us.  How lucky we are to have such a wonderful family!

BRRR It's a blizzard out there

I am sure you have all heard about the monstrous storm that swept through the country this week.  Our county was in a blizzard warning.  The wind was blowing out of the east which just happens to be the side of the house where our bedrooms and living room sit.  It was FREEZING in our house...ok not quite freezing but it sure felt like it.  The thermostat read in the low 50's most of the evening and night.

JJ looked like she was getting ready to play in the snow, but really she was getting ready for bed. 

Four layers later, she was nice and cozy and ready to snooze the night away!

Happy Winter

Thank Goodness for Snow Boots

Dear Aunt Mee Mee,
Thank you for my adorable snow boots.  They kept my tooties nice and toasty on my way home from Mamaw and Papaw's house.  I really love them because they are pink, Daddy's favorite color. 

Love,
JJ

Dress Rehearsal

Tomorrow is a big day for JJ.  She is going to get her pictures taken at JC Penny.  These are her first professional pictures since the ones at the hospital when she was just one day old. 

Momma decided that we needed a dress rehearsal. I wasn't sure if her new special Christmas dress fit and if it is the outfit I want her to wear for the pictures.  What do you think? Do you think the dress is too much for her 1st pictures?  Do you like the hat? 

Yummy in My Tummy: Thanksgiving Leftovers

This frugalista had one busy morning.  I took my leftover turkey and ham from our Thanksgiving feast on Sunday and turned them into a variety of casseroles to fill my freezer.  I have come to realize that I will most likely rather spend my evenings after work playing with my lil girl as opposed to cooking dinner. 

I made three different casserole recipes.  Each recipe made two family-size servings.  This leaves me with dinner for tonight and five other meals for when I go back to work. 

The first recipe I made is called Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole.  This used my leftover turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing mix and created a yummy casserole.  It has a really nice sauce that holds it all together.  I enhanced the flavor by adding thyme, rosemary, and sage to the sauce.  I did some quality control when it came out of the oven, and I give this 2 thumbs up. 

I used the rest of my leftover turkey to make Turkey Tetrazzini.  We are going to eat one of the casseroles for dinner tonight.  I also taste tested this one when it came out of the oven....YUM!  It is creamy and cheesy and loaded with fat and calories.  I lightened mine up with skim milk and margarine. 

The last casserole I made is mimicked after one of my favorite meals of my Mama's.  It is Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole.  I don't actually follow a recipe for this one.  All you do is boil some potatoes, mix them with chunks of ham, drench it in a cheese and milk sauce, and bake.  It is always a hit. 

I am definitely going to appreciate these casseroles in a few weeks! 

Happy Friday

My Lil Bitty Girl is Getting BIG

Today, we had JJ's 1 month doctor's appointment.  I knew that she was growing just from lifting her every day.  My suspicions were confirmed today!  At her last appointment two weeks ago, she weighed 6 lbs 15 ounces.  Today she weighed in at 8 lbs 12 ounces.  She has gained almost 2 lbs in 2 weeks.  JJ also has grown a half inch since birth and is now 21 inches. 

I cannot believe how much she has grown and is changing.  I now fully understand what everyone was saying about how they grow in a blink of an eye.  Here she is...my beautiful baby girl!

A Weekend of Firsts

This past weekend was a very eventful one for my baby girl, JJ.  We traveled home to visit both sets of family for the weekend.  While we were home, JJ experienced several first time events. 

For example, she rolled over for the very first time...yes, it is true.  My 3 1/2 week daughter rolled over!!!  Those legs start moving and there is no stopping her.  Grandma and Daddy were both there to see it and can confirm that it did indeed happen. 

We also took her out to with us to eat a restaurant for the very first time.  Daddy and I have yet to go out with JJ with just the two of us; however, we did make a trip with our family to The Fireside Inn in Enochsburg, IN to eat their tasty fried chicken.  All in all, she was great seeing how we had to wait for quite a while to get our food.

Another milestone happened at Grandma and Grandpa's house this weekend.  JJ's umbilical cord FINALLY fell out.  YAY!  You know what this means?  JJ finally got her first real bath when we got home.  She did great during her bath, and I really think she enjoyed it.  Check out these pictures...

Happy Halloween!!!

Priceless...

Introducing Jocelyn Jane

Hello everyone!  As you can see from my sister's guest post from earlier this week, I have been busy with the arrival of my beautiful daughter Jocelyn Jane.  She is by far the best baby in the entire world (not that I am biased or anything). 

She proved to be just as stubborn on the day of delivery as she was the day of her ultrasound.  It took 3 hours of pushing and the use of a vacuum for her to arrive, but it was all worth it.  My HHBL (hunk a hunk a burning love) keeps telling people that I got "hoovered." She weighed in at 6 lbs and 13 ounces and was 20.5 inches long!

Anyways....here are a few pictures of Jocelyn's first 4 days of life! Enjoy!

Guest Blog: Welcoming My Beautiful Niece

Note:

Barbara has had a very busy couple of days, so she asked me to write a blog entry in her place.

Megan from Gal in the Middle

Please welcome my beautiful niece to the world. She arrived just before 8 p.m. on Sunday, October 10, 2010. 10-10-10 is her birthday, isn't that cool?

Her name is Jocelyn Jane (Jane is for her maternal grandma) but we are calling her JJ.

She is truly gorgeous. Her grandmas claim that she looks like her daddy. I think she looks like herself.

Sitting in the hospital room holding her in my arms, I reflected back almost 25 years ago when I sat in another hospital room holding my baby sister for the very first time. Today I held my baby sister's daughter. How wonderful is that?

  

I am now an aunt five times over. This beautiful little girl is my very first niece (the second will be here in February). I love being the aunt of four active, funny and loving boys, but I can't wait to spoil this little girl with all things pink! 

I captured a few other photos tonight.

Enjoy!

Megan

The Count Down is On!

I had my weekly doctor's appointment this morning.  My blood pressure was still high so the bed rest continues.  I am running out of things to keep me busy.  I have done a 1000 piece puzzle this week, read baby books, magazines and Nora Robert's books, watched numerous episodes of the Baby Story, watched movies, and browsed the Internet (only a little since my Internet is crappy).  If you have any ideas of other things to keep me occupied, please let me know.

 It doesn't help that my HHBL is in the field for harvest which means he gets up around 5:30 and doesn't get in until after 10 every night.  It makes for some long and lonely days. 

The Dr. went ahead and scheduled an induction date for October 10, as long as she doesn't arrive prior to then.  I highly doubt she makes an earlier arrival.  Someone pointed out that October 10 is 10-10-10.  That would be pretty cool and easy to remember.  However, there is always the chance that the induction takes forever and she isn't born until the 11th. 

So anyways, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.  9 days until induction!  Can't believe that I will be a mommy in a little over a week!

Goodbye Summer...Hello Fall

I meant to post this on the first day of fall last week; however, I had a very busy week until it came to a screeeeeching halt.  Yes, that is right, my last minute TO DO list for the baby has been put on hold.  I went to the doctor on Friday and learned that I have Pregnancy Induced Hypertension.  What does this mean?  It means that I have high blood pressure that can only be solved by having the baby.  However, the doctor isn't quite ready for me to deliver (18 days until my due date), so she has put me on bed rest.  BED REST!!!  Sigh...boring.  Luckily, I have wonderful friends and family who have been keeping me company. 

Anyways...here are a few memories from the summer.